Chances at anesthesia

[MadScientist95]

Hey everyone. So Im currently a 3rd year DO student about to finish my surgery rotation and have not enjoyed it as much as I thought I would. However, a rotation I have really enjoyed so far, is anesthesia and so I am looking more into this specialty. Not a 100% sure what I want to do with my life yet but I will say I definitely like many aspects of anesthesia, such as the procedures, good hours, and the possibility of being able to do a fellowship in one year (really like pain management). I also realize that its getting close to the time that I need to pick a specialty and focus on doing things to prepare for the match. Currently, I have a step 1 of 222 and comlex level 1 of 544. Is matching anesthesia likely with these scores or would I need to think of a backup (I also really like IM)? If it is, what other things should I be doing to increase my competitiveness (other than taking step 2 of course)? Research? Volunteer? Extracurriculars? Thanks!

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[drducky.]

Definitely need a backup. It’s been getting more competitive every year since like 2018. I bet it will get a lot more competitive this year because of the EM spillover to gas since they’re very similar specialties with similar pays.

 

[Prehealth1011]

You need a backup

 

[MadScientist95]

I was thinking of IM --> pulm/cc as a potential backup but am worried about getting screened out of fellowships in the future because of my step 1 score. Do you know how big of a factor they normally play after residency?

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Hey everyone. So Im currently a 3rd year DO student about to finish my surgery rotation and have not enjoyed it as much as I thought I would. However, a rotation I have really enjoyed so far, is anesthesia and so I am looking more into this specialty. Not a 100% sure what I want to do with my life yet but I will say I definitely like many aspects of anesthesia, such as the procedures, good hours, and the possibility of being able to do a fellowship in one year (really like pain management). I also realize that its getting close to the time that I need to pick a specialty and focus on doing things to prepare for the match. Currently, I have a step 1 of 222 and comlex level 1 of 544. Is matching anesthesia likely with these scores or would I need to think of a backup (I also really like IM)? If it is, what other things should I be doing to increase my competitiveness (other than taking step 2 of course)? Research? Volunteer? Extracurriculars? Thanks!

2020 charting outcomes give you a decent(but not a shoe in) shot at around 75%? I would apply broadly to 75-80+ programs all across the country, I would also apply to IM backup since like everyone has said it’s getting more competitive. Your step score matters very little for fellowship and it is mostly on your residency prestige/access to LOR’s from people in the field. For example a person with a 250 step score who matches at a small community program with no in house fellowship will have a tough time matching stuff like GI/cards vs say someone with 230 who matches at a low/mid tier university program with in house fellowships.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Your scores are on the cusp. Uni programs are a stretch, Unless you have good letters and performed well on rotations at that program. I would look at uni affiliate programs, some are quite good You will have to hustle and buff up your app and get good letters.Good luck and best wishes !

 

[MadScientist95]

Thank you for your honest replies! I will also say I am Air Force so I know if I went the IM route I would more than likely be doing it at an Air Force residency, which most of them are university affiliated I believe. Not sure if this would help

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Thank you for your honest replies! I will also say I am Air Force so I know if I went the IM route I would more than likely be doing it at an Air Force residency, which most of them are university affiliated I believe. Not sure if this would help

Ohhh, in that case, I am actually not sure how competitive military residencies are in anesthesia? You might be ok just applying to all the military anesthesia residencies in addition to 80+ civilian gas programs.

 

[MadScientist95]

Ohhh, in that case, I am actually not sure how competitive military residencies are in anesthesia? You might be ok just applying to all the military anesthesia residencies in addition to 80+ civilian gas programs.

Well to my knowledge there’s only one Air Force anesthesia residency so obviously I would apply to that as well as a bunch of civilian programs (provided they would approve me for a civilian deferment if I don’t match). It also confuses me too because according to the interactive charting outcomes, 83% of DOs with my scores matched in 2020 after the merger. Those numbers seem promising to me but I keep hearing it’s getting more competitive so I’m not sure

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Well to my knowledge there’s only one Air Force anesthesia residency so obviously I would apply to that as well as a bunch of civilian programs (provided they would approve me for a civilian deferment if I don’t match). It also confuses me too because according to the interactive charting outcomes, 83% of DOs with my scores matched in 2020 after the merger. Those numbers seem promising to me but I keep hearing it’s getting more competitive so I’m not sure

Yea it’s getting more competitive but your chances are prbly better than you think if you apply broadly. Last year could be a trend or be an anamoly due to covid.

 

[Schwifty]

Well to my knowledge there’s only one Air Force anesthesia residency so obviously I would apply to that as well as a bunch of civilian programs (provided they would approve me for a civilian deferment if I don’t match). It also confuses me too because according to the interactive charting outcomes, 83% of DOs with my scores matched in 2020 after the merger. Those numbers seem promising to me but I keep hearing it’s getting more competitive so I’m not sure

We should be getting charting outcomes next summer for this match (2022). I think they usually come out in July, so you will have a better understanding of how competitive it is then. Otherwise I think you have a good shot in the civilian match, if you apply 80+ programs like furturedoctor said above. As far as the military match, I have no idea what they are looking for.

 

[MadScientist95]

How Important is research for anesthesia?

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

How Important is research for anesthesia?

Not at all from what I’ve seen, it’s mostly on your scores and letters.

 

[somedudehere]

Here are my recommendations to all DO students pursuing anesthesia, as someone who matched this past cycle.

If your step 1 < 230, apply to backups. 2018 --> 2020 charting outcomes is night and day difference for DOs. God only knows what 2021 was like.

Apply to every program you realistically have a shot at matching to with a handful of reaches. Many of my DO colleagues all applied to 80+++ programs, now is not the time to be frugal.

Aways are crucial for obtaining a LOR from an anesthesiologist (preferably a PD or chair if you can work with them) since most DO schools don't have anesthesia faculty.

IMO in terms of importance for anesthesia, it's scores > MSPE/LOR > research

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Here are my recommendations to all DO students pursuing anesthesia, as someone who matched this past cycle.

If your step 1 < 230, apply to backups. 2018 --> 2020 charting outcomes is night and day difference for DOs. God only knows what 2021 was like.

Apply to every program you realistically have a shot at matching to with a handful of reaches. Many of my DO colleagues all applied to 80+++ programs, now is not the time to be frugal.

Aways are crucial for obtaining a LOR from an anesthesiologist (preferably a PD or chair if you can work with them) since most DO schools don't have anesthesia faculty.

IMO in terms of importance for anesthesia, it's scores > MSPE/LOR > research

Yea try doing a third year anesthesia elective at your school, at my school we had several amazing anesthesiologists who showed us the ins and outs before your 4th year SUB-I's. And yea less than 230 has a 75-77% match rate per 2020 outcomes so better to apply backup and apply broadly. 2021 may have been a crap shoot due to COVID, many more over applied possibly and people who would have applied to more competitive stuff may have settled for anesthesia, but the 2020 charting outcomes are accurate and shows that compared to 2018 anesthesia is way more competitive.

 

[MadScientist95]

Does it help coming from an established, state DO school?

 

[MadScientist95]

Also forgive me, I’m new to this whole process and am learning as I go but it confuses it me that people are saying anesthesia is really competitive now because according to the 2020 charting outcomes, my scores give me about an 80% of matching as a DO student. Those seem like pretty good odds to me?

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Does it help coming from an established, state DO school?

Not really, for acgme DO=DO, now some state DO schools that have anesthesia residencies attached to them it can help in matching at those programs but the vast majority of those programs of which in anesthesia there are only like 10 programs will still favor the best candidates who did an audition/rotated there so even then your school really doesn’t matter as long as you rotate at those former aoa programs if you are targeting them, most of them outside of say like Oklahoma state and doctors hospital which is affiliated with OUHCOM are straight trash though in anesthesia and not somewhere you’d want to train..

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Also forgive me, I’m new to this whole process and am learning as I go but it confuses it me that people are saying anesthesia is really competitive now because according to the 2020 charting outcomes, my scores give me about an 80% of matching as a DO student. Those seem like pretty good odds to me?

We have covered this ad nausem. If you apply broadly you have a decent shot. Whether you apply to a back up or not is dependent on how risk averse you are, are you okay with a 75-80% or even lower shot at matching anesthesia??

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Also forgive me, I’m new to this whole process and am learning as I go but it confuses it me that people are saying anesthesia is really competitive now because according to the 2020 charting outcomes, my scores give me about an 80% of matching as a DO student. Those seem like pretty good odds to me?

Don’t dwell on the 75 or 80% number, it’s competitive… for context even ENT, derm, optho, ortho, urology have match rates in like in 60’s and 50’s which don’t seem bad but when you factor in self selection it’s competitive.

 

[MadScientist95]

Don’t dwell on the 75 or 80% number, it’s competitive… for context even ENT, derm, optho, ortho, urology have match rates in like in 60’s and 50’s which don’t seem bad but when you factor in self selection it’s competitive.

Gotcha. Thank you for all this information. How many backup programs would you suggest applying to? And what exactly does "self selection" mean?

 

[Angus Avagadro]

Does it help coming from an established, state DO school?

Established schools usually have degree of regional recognition. So PCOM would have some reputation in say PA, DE, NJ,and poss NY. Outside of those regions, no.

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Gotcha. Thank you for all this information. How many backup programs would you suggest applying to? And what exactly does "self selection" mean?

Totally up to you, you might even be okay not applying to back up if you improve your step 2 to say 240, self selection means fewer lower scoring students apply and that brings up the match percentages.